The second night of the run sits in the shadow cast by the first night (considered one of the year's best). But it does offer top quality versions of Love Light & TifTOO, and is better overall than the next two nights. If you like this run/period, also check out 2/11 & 2/22.

First Set. Morning Dew is a solid start, if the basic '69. However, this Good Morning School Girl is tight, inspired, and delivers more than the usual. It's really one of the year's best [there are over 30]. After a fine Doin' That Rag, there's a swipe at a Wipeout tuning. I'm a King Bee ain't bad, but it's Pigpen's warm up compared to this Love Light. Another best-of-year [sure seems that way, but there are almost 100!], the band is tighter than a stepdad's wallet. Pig is at his best, neither lecherous nor prattling, and Jer is flowing with ideas.

Second Set. Another standout for early '69, The Other One suite is even better than 3/2 (which is also great). Though Dark Star has its moments, it doesn't satisfy like the night before (or try 2/11, the other great one from the month). The OFF has bad speed wobbles and needs -1% pitch correction after 5mins; -2% after 13mins; -3% from 16:45>17:42; -4% for ~15secs, then slowing over 30 secs to concert pitch. The 132672_sbd has been mostly repitched. Because they were playing intentionally for a live recording, they stuck to a format for this run and you get a standardized Saint Stephen, but The Eleven is super-stretched to 15mins, with Phil owning this one – much as the whole show. A fine seq, but this is a superb Death Don't. Honestly it does not get much better than this. There's a lot to enjoy in this 22min Alligator as well, even if it won't be chalked as one of the year's top. In particular, after the Drums section it immediately enters a unique jam. Multi-track sources have speed wavers here. For the OFF, Drums needs -1% for the last min; Jam needs -2% for 0>3:50; -1% 3:50>4:00; -1% 9:00>9:30; -1% 10:10>11:00 [with other sources similar]. The rest is average for the era, until Bid You Goodnight, where mice besmudge the a cappellists.

1st Set:  B+
2nd Set: C+
Overall = 3¾ stars

Highlights:
Good Morning, School Girl – played up
Turn On Your Love Light – everybody flowing
The Other One – best of month/run
Death Don't Have No Mercy – does it get any better?

SOURCES: There are three mixes: the official releases, a Healey multi-track mixdown and a 2-track SBD. The 139196_sbd_2track has Constanten mixed out in places, and sometimes has one channel turned down. It also runs slow and Lovelight has a cut, however it has some tunings missing from the other sources. The 132672_sbd is the upgrade of the Healey multi-track. It has the best image, better patches, fixed some of the pitch issues, and has more Jer in the mix. Both Healey sources have the channels switched. Fillmore West 1969 has the whole show (also on a 4-record breakout). The three-disc version has Morning Dew, Good Morning School Girl, Doin' that Rag, King Bee, Lovelight, and Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't.

First set is a Pig-focused monster.

Second set is a pig-less monster.

Put them together in one night and this is a quadruple monster show. Any mood, any season, I just want to listen to this straight through without distractions or interruptions.

Recording great, and the set list looks like I put it together myself.

Donna and Betty... no idea where
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR7w5soIC8M
Donna talks about things I read about she and Kieth joining the Dead. But Betty talks about these recordings... likely most have seen this, but it was new to me.
Particularly hearing the story of the AMPEX 16 track recordings to create album Live Dead. I hadn't heard all of it, or some parts of it, and not for a long time, but I love the inspiration of her creative choice!

Really like 3 Sets in One Performance

Set 1:
It takes the Morning Dew a bit to kick.
So in comes Pig with Harp in hand to give us two blues tunes
sandwiching Doing that Rag.
The Pig Tunes are very sultry
almost picture Ron making his move.
Then as to emphasize PIG'S dominion
We get a set closing LOVELIGHT.
Note: was thinking about Weir soaking this all in
His main vocals in this set are during 'Shine on Me'
:) :) :)

Set 2: Cryptical -> Drums-> The Other One-> Cryptical,
Dark Star-> Stephen-> Eleven-> Death Don't :) :) :) ;)
Set 3: Alligator-> Drums-> Alligator->
Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)
-> Feedback-> We Bid You Good Night :) :) :) :) :)

I could plug my Marantz 420 into the headphone jack in the PC and record these on a XLII and be so happy.
Healy was highlighted in a GQ article for his sweet pile of shirts...
AZ

MONSTER show, MONSTER run. The School Girl is my personal favorite at 10:45. Pigpen is an usung hero of the blues. Never got the solo album he deserved.

That’s all I’m got to say.

Awesome as it is, it's quite patchy & nowhere near as good as the previous night. On the other hand, a million stars for not breaking up That's It for the Other One into 4 stupid tracks. I hate it when people do that lame record-store crap.

I was confused as who recorded the source multi-track tapes of this show as it denotes Dan Healy. I asked Betty Cantor-Jackson to confirm who recorded it and her polite response was "That was me. I don't remember Healy ever recording any live multi-track." I asked if Bob Mathews was also recording and her response was "yes." So there it is, folks. :]

My question now is, are these Dan Healy's mix-downs of the multi-tracks to DAT and thus a Healy source? Not trying to nitpick, just want credit where credit is due.

All being said, incredible recording and show. Well worth a listen!

I'd like to go out on a short limb and cast my vote for this being the Dead's greatest ever performance of Alligator. And by Alligator I don't just mean Alligator, I mean the 30+ minutes that is:

Alligator >
Drums >
Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) >
Feedback >
And We Bid You Good Night

I've spent a lot of time hiking and while on the trail I listen to Dead shows and compare performances. A couple of years ago I started checking out this night and ... wow this jam goes on forever, taking numerous turns through various themes. It's a very special performance, on par with the material that made the final cut of Live/Dead. A lot of people vote 1971-04-29 as the best Alligator, but not me. That performance is more of a farewell to an era. This performance, 1969-02-28, is that era at its peak.